96 DIFFERENT MODES OF FISHING THE HERRING. 



fathoms each, joined together, making the length of 

 600 fathoms, or 3600 feet. This warp, with the nets, is 

 made fast to a rope from the bow of the vessel, which 

 rope, in stormy weather, can be let out, to ease the strain, 

 to the extent of 100 fathoms ; but in ordinary weather 

 there is only about 40 fathoms out, that is, the distance 

 from the vessel to the nearest end of the nets is 40 fathoms, 

 or 240 feet. 



Spare Nets. — Besides the 100 nets in the water, each 

 boat has generally 100 spare nets on board, to be used 

 in case of injury, or loss of the others. 



Buoys. — For each net there are two buoys, being bar- 

 rels of about the size of a half anker, of about four gallons 

 measure, attached to the warp ; and there are, besides, 

 four buoys to mark the distance, one at half the length 

 of the whole of the nets, painted half red and half white, 

 and other two at the quarter distances, quartered red and 

 white ; and at the extreme end is a smaller cask painted 

 white. All these buoys have the names of the ship, 

 master, port, and owner, painted on them ; each net is, 

 besides, furnished with pieces of cork to give the upper 

 side the necessary buoyancy. 



Time of Fishing. — The vessels proceed to sea about 

 the beginning of October, and the fishing lasts two 

 months or more. They fish about half seas-over in about 

 fifteen fathoms water, guided generally by the birds or 

 thickish water. They shoot their nets at sunset; the nets 

 are taken in once or twice in the night, and at daylight. 

 With such a length of nets, a considerable quantity may 

 be caught at one time, and as many as ten lasts (about 

 100 barrels of herrings) have been fished at one haul. 

 The nets are taken in by means of the capstan ; when 

 brought to midships, they are shaken into the main hold, 



